Crubeens

Ingredients

Trotters

• 6pig’s trotters, split by the butcher
• 3 litreswater
• 2onions
• 2carrots
• 1leek
• 6 clovesgarlic
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tbspblack peppercorns
• 1 tbspcoriander seed
• 2 tspsalt

To finish

• 100 gplain flour
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 2eggs, beaten
• 150 gbreadcrumbs
• oil or dripping, for frying

To serve

• soda bread
• mustard
• malt vinegar
• a pint of porter

Directions

1. Cover with the water, add the vegetables, garlic, bay, peppercorns, coriander seed and salt, and bring to the boil.
2. Skim carefully, then simmer very gently for 3 hours, until the meat is completely tender and coming away from the bone. Never let it boil hard.
3. Let them cool in their cooking liquid, which keeps them moist and lets the gelatine firm up. At this point they can be eaten hot as they are, with mustard and bread, which is exactly how they were sold in Cork and Limerick pubs.
4. Fry in hot oil or dripping for 4 to 5 minutes a side, until deep golden and crisp.
5. Serve hot with soda bread, mustard and malt vinegar, and eat them with your hands, which is unavoidable and always was.

Technique

• The cooking liquid sets to a firm jelly and makes an excellent base for a soup or a brawn.
• They were fair food and late-night pub food, sold cheaply with porter, and they went out of fashion for a generation before coming back.
• There is more skin and gelatine than meat on a trotter. That is the appeal rather than a shortcoming.

Substitutions

• Pork hocks, which are meatier and need about the same time.
• Oil rather than dripping for frying, though dripping is better.

Variations

• Eaten straight from the pot, hot and unfried, with mustard.
• Boned out, rolled and pressed, then sliced and fried.
• With a mustard and breadcrumb crust baked rather than fried.

History

Once sold at Cork and Limerick fairs and in pubs as cheap late-night food with porter.

Frequently asked questions

What is Crubeens?

Crubeens is a street food from Ireland: boiled then fried pigs’ trotters eaten with the fingers. Once sold at Cork and Limerick fairs and in pubs as cheap late-night food with porter.

How long does Crubeens take to make?

Crubeens takes 20 min of preparation and 3 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Crubeens?

Yes, within limits. Pork hocks, which are meatier and need about the same time. Oil rather than dripping for frying, though dripping is better.

What is the most important thing to get right in Crubeens?

Skim carefully, then simmer very gently for 3 hours, until the meat is completely tender and coming away from the bone. Never let it boil hard.